DENVER, Colorado – In “Captain Kidd: A Tale of Treasure and Betrayal” (Diversion Books/Simon & Schuster, May 13, 2025) bestselling author Samuel Marquis delves into the legendary life of his own ninth-great-grandfather, Captain William Kidd (1654–1701), casting new light on one of history’s most infamous figures.
Captain Kidd has captivated imaginations for over 300 years and inspired many stories about pirates, but was he really a criminal? Just how many ships did he plunder, how many men did he force to walk the plank, and how many throats did he slit? Or is the truth more inconvenient, that he was a buccaneer’s worst nightmare, a revered pirate hunter turned fall guy for scheming politicians?
In “Captain Kidd,” Marquis reveals the real story. Kidd was an English-American privateer and leading New York husband and father, dubbed “trusty and well-beloved” by the King of England himself and described by historians as a “worthy, honest-hearted, steadfast, much-enduring sailor” who was the “victim of a deliberate travesty of justice.” With honors far more esteemed than the menacing Blackbeard or any other sea rover at the turn of the 17th century, how can Kidd be considered both gentleman and pirate, both hero and villain?
“Captain Kidd: A Tale of Treasure and Betrayal”
Samuel Marquis | May 13, 2025 | Diversion Books | Nonfiction / History
Hardcover | ISBN: 978-1635769685 | $34.99
About the Author
The ninth-great-grandson of legendary privateer Captain William Kidd, Samuel Marquis, M.S., P.G., is a professional hydrogeologist, expert witness, and bestselling, award-winning author of 12 American nonfiction-history, historical fiction, and suspense books, covering primarily the period from colonial America through WWII. His American history and historical fiction books have been #1 Denver Post and Amazon bestsellers and received multiple national book awards in both fiction and non-fiction categories (Kirkus Reviews and Foreword Reviews Book of the Year, American Book Fest and USA Best Book, Readers’ Favorite, Colorado Book Awards). His historical titles have also garnered glowing reviews from #1 bestseller James Patterson, maritime historians, U.S. military veterans, Kirkus Reviews, and Foreword Reviews (5 Stars). His pirate book “Blackbeard: The Birth of America” has been an Amazon #1 Bestseller in Colonial Period History of the U.S. Marquis lives with his wife in Louisville, Colorado, where they raised their three children. Find out more about him at samuelmarquisbooks.com.
Follow Samuel Marquis on social media:
Facebook: @samuelmarquisbooks | Twitter (X): @Sammarquisbooks
Instagram: @sammarquisbooks
Early Praise for
“Captain Kidd: A True Story of Treasure and Betrayal”
“A swashbuckling account of privateers, pirates, and pirate brokers on the Caribbean high seas at the dawn of the 18th century. With Captain Kidd, Samuel Marquis deftly separates the man from the myth in a riveting narrative that includes a compelling cast of characters, cannon fire, sword fights, mutiny, and treasure—all with the fate of empires hanging in the balance. A rollicking tale that proves that true stories are the best ones.”
—Buddy Levy, bestselling author of Realm of Ice & Sky and Empire of Ice and Stone
“Marquis paints the life of the inimitable Captain Kidd in bold, rich colors. A dashing, absorbing tale.”
—Stephan Talty, bestselling author of Empire of Blue Water
In an interview, Samuel Marquis can discuss:
- Balancing Family Descendancy with Truth – Discovering his ancestral connection to Captain William Kidd began with childhood stories but was solidified through modern genetic-genealogical research, which shaped his approach to researching and writing this book.
- The Sensational Legend That Still Resonates Today – The enduring fascination with Captain Kidd stems from his complicated life story, his close connection to many important historical figures, his rigged London show trial, and the myth of his buried treasure — a mix of fact and folklore.
- The American Hero Behind the Pirate Myth – Captain Kidd was far more than a mere “pirate” — he was a colonial American hero with a complex legacy, including wartime bravery and civic leadership. The myth of Kidd as a villain was a political construct by the English Crown, masking his true role as a trusted privateer and scapegoat for England’s failure to capture the English pirate Henry Every and other “real” seafaring outlaws. This book challenges the pirate caricature to reveal Kidd as a democratic sea captain, devoted family man, and misunderstood hero of early America.
- Real Estate, Rectors, and Revolution – Captain Kidd’s impact on New York includes his role in building Trinity Church and his influence as a prominent citizen shaping the early maritime city.
- A Sea Commander Ahead of His Time – Captain Kidd’s egalitarian practices aboard his gunships reflected values of inclusivity and democracy, making him progressive in an era of rigid social divides.
- The Thrill of the Chase – One of Captain Kidd’s most exhilarating moments was his dramatic battle off India’s Malabar coast against the Portuguese, showcasing his strategic brilliance and tenacity.
- A Love Story Lost to History – Captain Kidd’s relationship with his wife Sarah was one of devotion and resilience, shaping his life and legacy in ways rarely acknowledged.
An Interview with Samuel Marquis
How and when did you first discover you were related to the legendary Captain William Kidd?
My parents and relatives told me at an early age that I was the ninth-great-grandson of Captain Kidd based upon our Marquis family tree on my father’s side. However, the stories I heard represented the traditional British Crown and East India Company narrative that he was a New York gentleman who went off the rails and “turned arch-pirate” — which is complete balderdash.
What was it like reexamining an ancestor with such a controversial past? How did your familial connection shape how you researched and approached this book?
As a professional scientist and hydrogeologic expert witness in addition to being an American history author, my approach was to research and write the book as a scholarly historian and not as a family descendant. At the same time, it was important to me to present a sympathetic portrayal of Kidd since he has been badly mischaracterized and maligned as a vicious cutthroat and arch-pirate over the centuries due to the original anti-piracy propaganda campaign in the late 1690s by the English Crown and East India Company.
Why do you think Captain Kidd’s legacy stays with us more than other impactful people from his time? Why do you think his tale continues to capture the imagination of so many people?
Over the centuries, Captain Kidd has come to define the “pirate” brand even though he was never actually a pirate. He remains such a pivotal figure in the history of piracy because of his unique and complicated life story and career trajectory; his key role in the creation of buried-pirate-treasure mythology; his ridiculously unfair trial in which the English Crown illegally stacked the deck to win its case against him; and his Forrest-Gump-like connection to a wide variety of important historical events and people from 1689-1701.
Did Captain Kidd really bury treasure here in the United States – and be honest, have you ever looked for it?
Most, if not all, of this “treasure” was tracked down and seized by Kidd’s treacherous business partner and sponsor of his Indian Ocean voyage, Lord Bellomont, the royal governor of New York, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire, who arrested and imprisoned him. Thus, Captain Kidd did not “bury” treasure in the way that we have come to know from Treasure Island and Pirates of the Caribbean.
What do you hope people will take away from this book?
I want my readers to see Captain Kidd as he truly was, as a gray-shaded colonial American hero, and not as the villainous, heartless, dastardly, and fiendish arch-pirate, as falsely created by the English Crown and East India Company, who made him out to be a monster to suit their own political agenda. Perhaps my dedication at the beginning of the book sums up the Captain Kidd legacy best:
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